Three Words
by Lariren-Shadow
Summary: Its almost time for Ron and Hermione's first year anniversary. And Ron thinks of another gift to giver her. In their seventh year. Winner of the September challange posed by MuGgLeNeT27!


  
  
A/N: This is written for a challenge posted by MuGgLeNeT27. It must be cannon couples only, so no Hermione/Draco. Also it has to be no less than 1.000 words but closer to 2,000 if possible. It also must have these elements:

Snow

Quidditch

The Room of Requirement

Forest scene (garden ok)

So here it is.

Disclaimer: I have been to the restaurant that J.K. Rowling wrote in, does that count?...no? I don't own there characters, she does. The restaurant was nice though, and had internet.

* * *

Ron remembered the first time he has asked her out. It had come as a surprise to both, but it had happened. Harry had just caught the Snitch in the first Quidditch match against Slytherin in their sixth year. The cheering and applause had been deafening, yet through it all he had managed to ask Hermione out. He had flown to the ground and found her to say it. Whether it was the excitement, of just something that needed to be said, it had been done. And she had said yes. Ron hadn't known why, apparently the summer before Hermione had broken up with Krum. Maybe it was that was that they had always been fond of each other, neither willing to say it out loud, and the time had been right. What mattered now was that is was almost their one year anniversary.

* * *

Since the beginning, they had met in the Room of Requirement, making it into whatever they wanted. They would sneak away during lunch or when they both needed to "go to the library". Harry had caught on about two weeks after they had started going out. Ron still remembered the conversation that had followed, after Harry confronted them.  
  
"Ron, I have not seen you go to the library so much in our entire time here." Harry said.  
  
Ron began to go pink at the ears. "Well, I, er, just thought that, since we will be leaving soon, I, er, should do my homework more?" It was more of a question than an answer.  
  
Hermione had just stayed silent, trying desperately to keep herself from blushing. She had wanted to tell Harry, yet she felt that he would think they had betrayed him in some way. She had always had more affection for Ron; why else would she have fought with him more? But she had always been more of a friend to Harry. She had hoped that Harry did not like her, now confronted with telling him about her and Ron, that hope seemed rather small. So out of all this, she decided to be honest, not be like Ron, who had thought of some lie.  
  
"Ron and I are going out. That is what we have been doing. Talking and you know. Not going to the library. We go to the Room of Requirement. Harry, I am sorry that we didn't tell you, but what with exams coming up and everything else, we felt that it might, you know, be better if we told you after all this. And, well, it might be sort of strange for you." Hermione finished this all at a rapid pace, and all in one breath.  
  
"First off, Hermione, exams are not for a really long time. Second, why would you think it to be strange? Ron, you know I like Cho, even though, you know, I destroyed all my chances with her." Harry said and shrugged.  
  
"Sorry mate, now that I think about it, it was kind of a strange how thought you would react to it." Ron said, the pink only slightly there, and a faint smile on his face.

* * *

So Harry had been all right with everything. He had noticed Ron and Hermione get closer and had thoughts about what he had said to Cho. He also began to notice Ginny, who seemed to be dating like mad. Ron also noticed this, but Hermione controlled him. For that, Ginny was eternally grateful.  
  
Ron was still wondering how to spend his first year anniversary with Hermione. He had gotten her, sort of as a joke, and also out of caring for her, "Hogwarts, A History". It seemed that it would be a good present, and he had asked Ginny if Hermione already had a copy. So it was set with the gift. The only problem was: where should he give it to her? After thinking about it for what seemed like hours, and most of some of his classes, he thought of a plan, and a surprise to giver her as well.  
  
They would meet at their usual time, in front of where the Room of Requirement would appear.  
  
"Hermione, instead of staying here, now, can you meet me after dinner, near the lake?" Ron asked.  
  
Hermione was a little put off by this, she had her gift to him in her bag. It was a sort of a joke gift, but she also thought he would appreciate it. She had gotten him "Hogwarts, A History". She wished to give it to him sooner, but she was all right with waiting.  
  
"I'll meet you, where near the lake do you want to meet?" Hermione responded.  
  
"By where Harry got attacked by the dementors. We can only stay a little; Malfoy is patrolling the halls tonight and will to catch us out in them, let alone on the grounds." Malfoy always seemed to find them, and then proceed to make fun of them endlessly. With that, the two parted, to meet again after dinner.

* * *

The place in which they were to meet was right by the Forbidden Forest. In fact, trees covered the area and hid it mostly form view. Yet it did not have the same feel as the Forest, it seemed quieter, more peaceful. It seemed even more like that during the day. A light snow had fallen all day, covering the ground and tress in a light frosting. All the clouds had gone, though. A full moon was casting a glow upon the snow, making it sparkle and shine. The place almost seemed to be enchanted, though neither Ron nor Hermione had anything to do with it.  
  
Hermione arrived first, in muggle close since class was over. She also felt sort of strange meeting him in these clothes. She had always met him during school, not really spending time alone in Hogsmeade, so all the time they had been in their robes. But she just shrugged and warped her jacket around her tighter. A minuet or so after she had arrived, Ron showed up.  
  
"Wow, this is even better than I thought." He said. The place was better than he thought. Almost too good to be true. It was just what he wanted. This was perfect. "Well, er..." he had never felt so nervous around her before. Why did he feel this way now? His palms were sweaty and he could feel his ears getting pink, and not from the cold. Hermione began feeling to same awkward feeling that Ron was. She had never really felt like this before, never with Krum.  
  
"Well, I, er, got this for you. Happy one year anniversary." Hermione said, handing Ron a box wrapped in shinny paper. On it was a chocolate frog as well, as a bow of sorts.  
  
"Thanks, here, this is for you. Happy anniversary." Ron handed her a box wrapped in similar paper. Instead of a chocolate frog as a bow, however, Ron had found two roses, one red and one yellow.  
  
"Oh Ron, these are beautiful." Hermione said and she hugged him. Then they set out to opening their gifts. Hermione opened hers first, and a silly grin came to her face.  
  
"I think we were thinking along the same lines." Just as Hermione had finished say this, Ron had opened his gift. He looked at it, puzzled and then got the same grin as Hermione.  
  
"You know, I never thought you would give this to me. Since you know it by heart, I could always just ask you. And I thought if you had a copy, it would be easier for you to spout out more important things in it." Ron said.  
  
Then the moment seemed right. He saw Hermione as someone else. Not as the bookworm that he used to tease about her knowledge. Not as the girl that was the top in their class. But as Hermione, his girlfriend. And this made him realize something else. He had to tell her.  
  
"Hermione," Ron said, unsure of his own voice, "I have something I want to say." He took a calming breath, and took her hands in his; the books were now on the ground, forgotten. "I love you."  
  
"And I love you." The words even surprised Hermione. She had known she felt different about Ron than she did for Krum. But love? Then she realized she did love him. Everything she felt was love.  
  
Then they kissed. And it seemed to be a new sensation for both, since now they knew that they were loved and were loved by each other. 


End file.
